Joe Hallett commentary: It's doubtful that God wants any part of politics

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Sunday July 21, 2013 6:35 AM

It is commonplace these days for candidates who are Christian, especially Republicans, to inject
God into politics, particularly in campaigns.

Newt Gingrich expressed a popular conservative GOP view during his failed presidential bid last
cycle when he said, “Our rights come from our Creator, and it is impossible to define America if
you do not talk in public about where your rights come from.”

Fittingly, Gingrich’s campaign-advertising firm was the Strategy Group for Media, where God is
viewed as a director, but Rex Elsass is the owner and Gingrich’s former longtime national
spokesman, Rick Tyler, now is the president.

Headquartered in the beautifully renovated and historic Gooding House near Powell, Strategy
Group has emerged as a national powerhouse in GOP campaign circles, and its trophy cases bulge with
Pollies, the Emmys of political advertising. The firm’s clients include Ohio Gov. John Kasich,
Indiana Gov. Mike Pence, Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky, Rep. Michele Bachmann of Minnesota and dozens
of other federal and state candidates.

Famously, Todd Akin, the GOP nominee for U.S. Senate in Missouri, sought refuge at Gooding House
and spiritual guidance from Elsass and his disciples last year after uttering the “legitimate rape”
comment that cost him the election.

In a realm where it is not uncommon for a candidate to publicly express his piety and love of
neighbor while simultaneously plotting to figuratively slit his opponent’s throat, there may be no
more schizophrenic-appearing firm than Strategy Group.

Within the walls of Gooding House are religious pictures and inscriptions — some of them not far
from the lavish in-house bar. Every Monday morning at 8, Elsass leads a Bible study, and every
Thursday afternoon at 4, employees gather around the bar for happy hour.

Elsass himself is a caricature of contrast. Gregarious, back-slapping, personally likable,
generous and wildly successful — he has a private jet and two Bentleys — Elsass also is known for
producing some of the nastiest TV spots in the business, including one suggesting that a Democratic
Supreme Court justice traded rulings for money. In the 1990s, while working for the Ohio Republican
Party, he was a leader of an infamous squad of dirty-tricksters known as the “nasty boys.”

Some years ago, after a troubled period in his life, Elsass was born again. He infused Strategy
Group with his evangelism, and yet the firm — which, in fairness, produces many positive and
uplifting ads — won’t hesitate to destroy an opponent if that’s what it takes to win.

I asked Elsass early last year how someone so religious rationalizes such attacks. He rightfully
noted that most of the firm’s ads are informational and positive, but said tough ads are part of
the business: “We’re charged with the mission of trying to win elections. I think we do that with
honor and integrity and the highest ethical standards.”

Sadly, words such as
honor,
integrity and
ethics have become foreign concepts in politics. Winning is what counts, and Strategy
Group certainly isn’t alone in the industry when it comes to doing whatever it takes.

But the firm now is gaining unwanted national attention for an internal holy war pitting Elsass
against three top executives he fired for allegedly trying to steal clients and go out on their
own. They include Nick Everhart, the former president who once was like a son to Elsass but now is
being sued by the company. Documents made public in court records and discussed in a story on the
second page of this section bespeak godly motives and are filled with references to God.

He hasn’t told me this, but I’m guessing God wants nothing to do with the lawsuit or the whole
sordid business of politics that he gratuitously gets dragged into these days.